IMX 432

[astroluma]

Hello,

I learned during Mr qiu's presentation at ESOP in Paris that you were developing a camera based on IMX 432.
This camera + your standalone GPS box would be very interesting for occultations of stars.
Following the ESOP with some amateur astronomers (Mr Midavaine ...) we decided to organize technical meetings every year on the subject of occultations.
As part of these meetings I would be interested to test this camera.
Do you know how soon it could be possible?

lionel

[QiuHY]

Hello,
     Yes we are developing this camera. The hardware is ready and need to get the timing working. It may need more time to finish it since currently we have QHY268 to release. We will begin this work two month later.

Best regards,
Qiu Hongyun

[xs_man]

Hello Qiu,   
Hello Lionel,   

Good news for us !
For sure a great new camera for EEA and for short exposure lucky imaging !
And for fast transient phenomenons as said by Lionel.

I guess that as for IMX 174, you'll have to manage with a high Amp glow
signal compared to BSI with little pixels ?

Dou you have the read noise curve ? Especially in HCG gain mode ?

Do you have an idea of the price for a cooled monochrome version ?

Many thanks.
Best.

Alb?ric

[xs_man]

Hi Qiu,
Hi Lionel,
Hi all,

Very bad news if these values coming from FLIR Blackfly S BFS-PGE-16S7M are true ! 

http://softwareservices.ptgrey.com/BFS-PGE-16S7/latest/EMVA/EMVA.html

The read noise is announced at 4.8 e- at  high gain and 23 e- at low gain ! 

The dynamic range would be 72 dB and not 86 dB as indicated by Framos :

https://www.framos.com/fr/sony-pregius-cmos-global-shutter

Let's hope now that there is different modes to use the sensor ?

Alb?ric

[astroluma]

Hello Qiu

I suppose that it's not easy for you to work since few weeks but have you news regarding this camera?

Lionel

[QiuHY]

Hello ,

       We have got the 432 image out. Looks good. But has not test the readout noise etc yet.

Best regards,
Qiu Hongyun

[xs_man]

Hello ,

We have got the 432 image out. Looks good. But has not test the readout noise etc yet.

Best regards,
Qiu Hongyun

Hello Qiu,

To my opinion that's the most important point to test first in HCG.
Hoping that FLIR values are wrong ! Even if I have no more hope on this point...
If read noise of this sensor is near 5 e-, to my opinion, it's not worth to develop
a camera. It's lost time for astronomy use.

Let us know.

Alb?ric

[QiuHY]

Hello Alberic,

         We will test it asap. And general speaking the gen3 sony global shutter sensor should have better readout noise . The Gen2 is even better. The QHY550 camera get a readout noise from 2.0e-2.5e.

Best regards,
Qiu Hongyun

[xs_man]

Hi Qiu, 

Frankly speaking for me PREGIUS Gen1 (5.86 microns), Gen2 (3.45 microns), Gen3 (4.5 microns)
and Gen4 (2.75 microns stacked BSI) all have nearly the same value of read noise in HCG.
There's no major differences in fact...

Read Noise values in HCG mode :
 
* Pregius Gen 1 (5.86 microns) : RN(e-) = 2.5 to 3 e-

https://www.qhyccd.com/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=show&catid=94&id=46&cut=1

* Pregius Gen 2 (3.45 microns) : RN(e-) = near 2.2 e-

https://www.flir.com/discover/iis/machine-vision/pregius-s/

* Pregius Gen 3 (4.5 microns) : RN(e-) = near 2.5 e-

https://www.flir.com/discover/iis/machine-vision/pregius-s/

* Pregius Gen 4 (2.75 microns) : RN(e-) =  near 2.2 e-

https://www.flir.com/discover/iis/machine-vision/pregius-s/

All are near 2.5 e-. I guess that it's linked to the Pregius GS technology. 

QE is nearly the same for Gen 1, Gen 2 et Gen 3. Only Gen 4 is clearly better
for this parameter. Better, but frankly it's not a huge difference.

And if these values of read noise are reported to area of pixels, the
winner is.... Gen1 !!!!!! The old IMX174 is still the best one !

Now, only hope would be that the IMX432 (Gen3) uses a hardware binning 2x2 before
ADC conversion to create 9 microns pixels. But considering the FLIR datas, I'm
afraid it's not the case. It seems to be only a software binning after ADC.

Alb?ric 

[QiuHY]

Hello Alberic,

        But sony say it is the FD_binning.? I will check it. Maybe 342 is FD but 432 is not...


Best regards,
Qiu Hongyun

[xs_man]

Hello Alberic,

        But sony say it is the FD_binning.? I will check it. Maybe 342 is FD but 432 is not...

Best regards,
Qiu Hongyun

Thanks Qiu, let us know if it's a soft or hard binning.
Is read noise in HCG 5 e- or near 2.5 e- ? That will make the fondamental difference
to know if this sensor is interesting or not.

Alb?ric

[astroluma]

Hello Qiu,

Were you able to test the read noise of this sensor?

Lionel